Alice Ghostley (born August 14, 1926 in Vernon County, Missouri), is an American actress best known for playing the character of Bernice Clifton on Designing Women, Esmerelda on Bewitched and Aunt Alice on Mayberry R.F.D. after Frances Bavier left the show, and her character Aunt Bee was written out. A veteran of early television, she appeared as one of the ugly step-sisters in the landmark 1957 musical television production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's Cinderella, which starred Julie Andrews in the title role.
On Broadway, Ms. Ghostley appeared in several plays, including The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window, for which she won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. She also replaced Dorothy Loudon as the evil Miss Hannigan in the original run of the musical Annie.
She was married to Italian-born actor Felice Orlandi for 50 years until his death from lung cancer on May 21, 2003.
